Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has wrapped up her first year in office with a list of accomplishments, from tackling homelessness to enhancing city services. According to a "Year in Review" fact sheet released by her office, there has been a more than 21,000-person drop in homelessness since December 2022. Her executive order directing the construction of over 9,000 affordable housing units, has already begun to take shape.
In terms of public safety, Mayor Bass has established an Office of Community Safety with community-led initiatives aimed at crime prevention, coupled with the fact that the LAPD saw its largest surge of monthly applications since 2020 this August, signaling a potential renewal of interest in law enforcement careers.
Shifting focus to economic development, the fact sheet notes the relocation of Banc of California's headquarters to Los Angeles as a win for the local economy. Mayor Bass' office also established a small business policy team and rolled out Executive Directive 4 to aid in the nurturing of new and expanding businesses in the city
In sustainability, the mayor's office has secured hundreds of millions of dollars in partnership with state and federal entities to continue the city's leadership on climate initiatives, building upon the groundwork laid by previous mayors to steer Los Angeles toward a greener future. On top of the increased green funding, city services received a substantial boost, with 100,000 more services executed compared to the previous year and public transportation usage on the rise every single month in 2023.
Mayor Bass' administration has also made strides in emergency preparedness, with no fatalities or injuries during Tropical Storm Hilary and a remarkably swift response to a major pallet fire that allowed the reopening of the 10 Freeway in just days.
